Sunday, January 25, 2015

"the trail was great and we got to run through a golf course that [Chip Off the Old Dick] had permission to set the trail through. [Nipple Knocker] had exactly 7 miles. There were a ton of
true trail arrows [COtOD] didn't want the runners to be all confused and
making wrong turns :)"

Saturday, January 17, 2015

Several people commented that this year's Boom Boom Birthday Hash was not nearly as unpleasantly cold as it has been since the tradition began back in 2011, when she was just 99 years young. Temps being well above freezing, Big Balls on Deck had to include the warning, in his brief, that some of the mud was thawed, and therefore treacherous in different ways than in the still-frozen sections. He also had to warn about watching out for arrows, in order to ensure avoidance of un-permissioned private property, and offered a special graffiti treat!

While 14 walkers hung back for special instructions, 30 runners got themselves down the hill to the first check, and a whole bunch of them checked to the right while the rest hung around waiting. Eventually, everyone charged off to the left and found their first arrow, pointing them downhill. Was it Cock in the Crease who complained that starting with a downhill just meant he'd have to climb back up later in the run? Reassurances that this was an all-downhill trail did not seem to help.

Away we go.

Then there was some confusion in the middle of the trail. Remember the graffiti treat? Phoenix Rising, working backwards and early, found it before the others, and found a law enforcement officer on the site. The L.E.O. informed him he was trespassing, and after a bit of reasoned discourse, with PhR making some salient points, the L.E.O. offered to write PhR a citation. They both agreed that would not be nearly as much fun as finding a different trail -- which PhR did, eventually bumping up against the main pack and recommending a judicious detour. So Sean and Not-Jennifer (sorry!) were the only two to run the true trail, as they'd gotten far enough behind not to witness the hash careering off onto false trail, and the L.E.O. was gone by the time they arrived at graffiti central. Nipple Knocker has promised a photo of the graffiti (he helped BBoD and Paddle My Candee Ass to set). When he sends it, I'll post it.

No known explanation for any of this.

So eventually everyone made it back to the On In, where Norm was grilling bratwurst, PMCA had finished making gravy, and Jill had filled every horizontal surface in the house with food. We're talkin' pork, we're talkin' chicken, we are talking about several potato salads and a crock pot full of mulled wine and cheesy casserole and scalloped potatoes and something like chili. We are talking, ladies and gentlemen, about enough food to feed 90, and sufficient beverages for 150. (In addition to the 48 hashers, there were about 10-15 friends and family, so while doggy bags were available, there were significant inroads made.) At last report, no one had attempted the bottle of Wisconsin cranberry wine.

The Associate Mufti, or Mufti Pro-Tem, played his M.C. role to the hilt, lauding Jill and her myriad helpers for the feast, and demanding an on-key rendition of the happy birthday song. He may actually have blown a kiss to the birthday girl, who looked spry and happy despite all the shouting strangers banging about around her. "I hope they're not drunk," she acknowledged at one point, but expressed delight at seeing, and hearing, the young folk enjoying themselves.

Here's to 103 more!

And enjoy themselves they did, as shown here. Thanks to PMCA for additional photos.

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Last year, for Boom Boom's 102nd Birthday Hash, a few Davis neighbors were disturbed that hashers parked on their property or blocking driveways and mailboxes, etc. So this year, our kind hosts have requested that we park on the main street, Miller Heights Road, rather than on Lakenheath Way. It's a short walk up Lakenheath to the house, and will be well worth the extra exercise for those of you who enjoy vast German-influenced buffets full of meat and potatoes with a wide selection of beer and wine for accompaniment.

Plus: Boom Boom's 103rd Birthday!!

Really good cake is on the menu, too.

Please spread the word on the parking request. Carpooling would be good, too, of course.

Sunday, January 11, 2015

A favorite Hash hostess, Blow in the Hole hero'ed it up once again, with help from a cast of... several. Consultation with Blazing Straddle and Jeffy Lube resulted in a useful trail map. A quartet (BitH, JL, Zipperhead and Dances with Bulls; three on foot, one on wheels), well-bundled, colored the flour blue for better visibility on the leftover snow, and then scattered it about Herndon for 12 runners to follow. Seven walkers made their own path, determined to visit the historic downtown, for bread or trains or maybe both. That's four hares and 19 hounds; so how were there 30 people at the hash?

Pre layer-donning, the hares make sure they know where they're going -- more or less.

One speculates that perhaps not everyone felt like getting a bit of exercise in the great outdoors today. How could that be? Why would that be? After all, the wind chill wasn't all that bad, and the sun was shining like billy-o, so temps in the high 20s actually felt more or less like high 20s, not something frighteningly lower. Some people were outside in just three layers!

Blazing Straddle was inside, heating up the vegan and paleo chilis BitH had cooked up the day before; perfect lunch for a somewhat chilly day, after a five-mile run over occasionally icy ground. The hash showed its appreciation by sucking up every gram of beef and most of the black-bean-and-sweet-potato. Bubbles contributed cookies (and cleaned the downstairs bathroom, while BitH was cleaning every other inch of her home -- before the hash arrived! Now that's some heroism.).

Note shining sun

Valiant handled the roll call as last week, and did it with a distinctive flair and a decent amount of group participation as he squinted at the tiny roll call print. Trisha hit #2, and Jen Rough Cut got dug up from the C list, one hopes. As one hopes they both come back soon. You can see them in the photos, and introduce yourself next time.

Sunday, January 4, 2015

A momentous day, run number 1,788; according to the official hash archive, Bite Me and Eat It Raw first hosted the GFH3 Hangover Hash (or GFH5, presumably), run number 675, on the first of January in 1995. That makes 21 in a row, right? One more reason to celebrate.